Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Mogwai at the Canteen 22/11/08

Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite and Barry Burns get their hands on Aurelie's recent Barrow AFC drone opera An Unorthodox 1-2 and John Hall's book, The Al Mobility Story following their DJ set at the Canteen on Saturday night. The Scottish band are no strangers to mixing art with football having contributed the soundtrack to video artist Douglas Gordon's Zidane: a 21st Century Portrait in 2006. More info at: Mogwai.co.uk

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

BAFC Night at the Canteen Cinema Room 13/11/08

Work from the Barrow AFC Digital Residency received a second showing last Thursday at the Canteen Cinema Room on Barrow Island. The evening included presentations of research materials and documentation from throughout the project as well as film screenings, a 'Bluebirds' DJ set and live performances.

Francis O' Donnell Smith's video installation based around an interview with life-long BAFC fan Geoff Payne screened to a live accompaniment from Glenn, Damian Rose and project organiser John Hall that reworked material from the spoken word and music piece An Unorthodox 1-2. This was followed by a live set of Bluebirds inspired music and video projections from Damian performing as Mondo Bongo. Each set was interspersed with scenes from two silent films from 1920's Germany (both amongst the first football feature films ever produced).

Children from years 5 and 6 at Barrow Island Primary School visited the Canteen last week foran exhibition of the music, collages and poetry they have produced with artists Glenn Boulter and John Hall. Making use of the Cinema Room's projection and sound facilities, works on show included a series of poems, collages and sound pieces made by the children during workshops with John Hall, poet Kate Davies and musician Sean Blezard as part of the Sightlines Project. The children also had a chance to hear rehearsals and live recordings from the graphic score-based BAFC Orchestra sessions that Glenn led as part of his residency at the club (see previous entries for details). The exhibition concluded with a short live music performance by John and Glenn, feedback and free orange juice.

A selection of the children's feedback on the BAFC Orchestra sessions:What do you remember about the project?We drew a musical picture. (Reece – 10)Playing football, conducting people. (Jack –10)4 People passed the ball while music was playing in the background. (Joe –11)We used different instruments to make an orchestra. (Jordan –10)What did you enjoy about this project?All the funny sounds, like the frog. (Jack –10)Finding out about all the instruments and all of the sounds they made. (Mason –10)That we got to use different objects to make music. (Chloe – 11)When we got to do it at Barrow AFC. (Sarah –10)I liked playing the music and listening to the rhythms. (Lucy –10)The music and the co-operation. (Jake –9)What was your favourite instrument? How did you play it? What sound did it make?The pebbles. We banged them on top of each other. A noise like the sea. (Ross – 10)The radio. By turning the buttons. Like people talking. (Jacob –10)White computer keyboard. Typing my full name. Tapping and banging. (Jordan –10)The electric guitar and the wooden guitar. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. (Bradleigh–9)What was it like to play at the football ground?I enjoyed the background music, going to the Barrow AFC football pitch and everything else. (Emily –9)It was noisy, exciting, loud and fun. (Brandon – 9)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Friday, October 24, 2008

Live Event / Exhibition (2)

The live section of the event consisted of a talk by John, Francis and Glenn about their work at the club, followed by a live performance of Unorthodox 1-2. This used a series of recorded texts as a starting point from which to improvise a series of drones based around the notes BAFC.

Differing considerably from the recorded version, the set featured Dave Dhonau on samples, thumb piano, radios and drum machine, Francis on laptop, guitar and effects and Glenn on prepared guitar.

Look out for further posts on how to order the CD and upcoming performances.

Aurelie performed live at Barrow AFC on Friday 17th October as part of an exhibition presenting work from throughout the residency.

On display were selections from Francis' video installation Unbridled, prints, hand-packaged Unorthodox 1-2 CD's, tracks made by Glenn with local schools using graphic notation and project organiser John Hall's edition of books and CD's charting the career of fictional Barrow player Al Mobility.

Recordings from the residency were featured during September in an open air sound installation at the Heron corn Mill in Beetham, Cumbria. Curated by project organiser John Hall and housed in a series of tents in the grounds of the mill, the piece also featured sounds made by children from Storth School and John Ruskin School as well as a track from mysterious Leeds-based group, the Wendigos.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Years after his mysterious disappearance, they still talk about Barrow AFC'S Al Mobility, his goalscoring feats, his huge appetite and the sacred potted plant which he always carried under his arm on the field of play during his short but triumphant career at Holker Street.

The Al Mobility Story was devised and recorded by girls from St Bernard's RC school at various Al-related sites around Barrow's ground , with the help of writer and broadcaster Ian McMillan, writer Kate Davis, Teacher / AFC Director David Ingham and project Co-ordinator John Hall.

Through interviews with Mobility's family, schoolfriends , fans and team mates we hear the story of his exploits, his struggle to continue playing while carrying a shrub, and the controversial sending-off which hastened his disappearance.

The piece was broadcast on Abbey FM earlier this year, and meanwhile a trawl through the local archives has unearthed clippings and ephemera that put a face to the legend, and provide a taste of the esteem with which this clean man with short spikey hair was held.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Nine children from Barrow Island Community Primary School brought experimental music to football fans at Holker St. on Saturday 20th September with the first performance by the Barrow AFC Football Orchestra.

Leading in to the match against Kettering Town, the orchestra performed three 5 minute pieces of music that turned the Holker Street 5-a-side pitch into a giant piece of graphic notation. Orchestra members alternated between roles, taking turns to play football and their instruments respectively.

Instruments included guitars open-tuned to the notes BAFC, egg timers, a drum machine, a thumb piano, a small wooden frog and a contact miked (and heavily reverbed) computer keyboard. See the video clip below for an excerpt from the performance.

Children from Barrow Island Community Primary School picked up a selection of instruments and household objects in preparation for a performance at Holker Street that took place on Saturday 20th September. During the rehearsal sessions pictured here, the children concentrated on playing together and communicating as a group as well as looking at ways of introducing contrast into the music they had been making. All of the sessions have been recorded, and a selection will be transferred and given to orchestra members as a CD in the near future.

A limited edition of 150 screen printed posters, produced to accompany the forthcoming live event at Holker Street in October, are now available from the club shop, priced at £5 each with all proceeds going to the club.

Over the last two weeks, Glenn and Francis have been recording and editing the raw material for their Barrow AFC sound piece. The piece combines elements of spoken word, music and field recordings and is intended to be performed live, broadcast via radio and to exist as an edition of CD's.

The script, written by Glenn, consists of three parts describing a) a walk across Barrow to Holker st. stadium, b) the atmosphere of the crowd during a match and c) the experience of hearing the match in a domestic environment via radio. The script was then recorded by local actor, musician and BAFC supporter Damian Rose.

Following this, the recordings were broken up into individual sentences, looped and processed to determine the rhythm and tone of three instrumental compositions. These were composed and recorded by Francis in collaboration with members of Aurelie David Dhonau (cello, bass, production) and Ola Szmidt (flute). The three pieces of music varying in tone from steadily building drones to minimalist cello melodies will then be edited together with the spoken word element and a bank of recordings made at the ground and from around Barrow to form the final recording.

Keep an eye on the blog for previews of the sound piece as well as details of a free Aurelie live performance taking place at Holker St. later this month.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Following a world-wide BAFC support call via the unofficial club forum (www.barrowafc.net) and the Holker Street Newsletter, we would like to thank all Barrow AFC fans who responded and offered their support to this project so far.

During the 15th August Francis and Glenn had the pleasure of meeting up with Mr. Geoff Payne, a lifelong BAFC supporter, for an insightful interview and film shoot high in the Main Club Stand. Stories of Emlyn Hughes, dubious referees and digital technologies were shared over delightful prepacked superstore baguettes, before cruising the far reaches of Walney Island caravan park. We would like to give Geoff our gratitude for his hospitality, time, and a day well spent in the gale-force capital of the North-West.